Considering all of the victory types, what goals should you set yourself before and during you play?

Which leader traits should you have? What techs should you research? What buildings should you build first?

Is there a guide that I've missed, or can I get some advice? So far I've found myself never close to achieving any goal when I get near the end of the game and always default to space race, because I'm no where near getting 3 legendary cities, 51% of land area and population, etc.

Thanks

Conuest and Domination are basicly the same, if you are a real warmonger you get Conquest/Domination fairly easy.
If you keep the cities you capture you'll get Domination before Conquest.
Cultural: You really need to wotk to get this vicotry right of the start, get all the GA wonders and run a spcialist (or better said a Great artist) speciliazed economy), then you can get 3 cities with Legendary culture.
Diplomatic: make friends with the entire world, not always too easy.
You can also get a fake diplomatic victory when just vote yourself winner because you have such a high population.
And well, Space doens't seem to be your problem :)

Considering all of the victory types, what goals should you set yourself before and during you play?

Which leader traits should you have? What techs should you research? What buildings should you build first?

Is there a guide that I've missed, or can I get some advice? So far I've found myself never close to achieving any goal when I get near the end of the game and always default to space race, because I'm no where near getting 3 legendary cities, 51% of land area and population, etc.

Review the documents in the War Academy (http://www.civfanatics.com/civ4/strategy/).

From my perspective, the opening is mostly about leveraging the advantages of the opening to create a good start (ie the initial wave of expansion), then turning toward a victory condition. Choice of research orders and techs start from there.

Games must be really unfulfilling if you only sit with someone elses guide telling you what to do at every step of the way.

Games must be really unfulfilling if you only sit with someone elses guide telling you what to do at every step of the way.
Theres a difference between a guide (like one from the War Academy) and a step-by-step hand holding session. Sorry for disturbing you, you can go back to your ivory tower. Dumbass.

easy culturral vic play loius build the sistein chapel

Vassalize your first neighbour ASAP. Then trade with him for high amount of gold. You will be able to set your research to 100% or close. Go quickly after Military tradition. Wipe them out. :lol: :) ;)

Theres a difference between a guide (like one from the War Academy) and a step-by-step hand holding session. Sorry for disturbing you, you can go back to your ivory tower. Dumbass.

Exactly. Guides are good. Step-by-step hand holding sessions, like you are asking for, surely ruin gameplay in the long run. Use a cheat code if you feel the need for victory so badly, you won't be any better at the game when you do actually win.

Ivory tower? That's illegal you know. My only vice is my bed of culled seal pelt.

Vassalize your first neighbour ASAP. Then trade with him for high amount of gold. You will be able to set your research to 100% or close. Go quickly after Military tradition. Wipe them out. :lol: :) ;)

I'm pretty sure the massive amounts of GPT from vassals is a bug.

Exactly. Guides are good. Step-by-step hand holding sessions, like you are asking for, surely ruin gameplay in the long run. Use a cheat code if you feel the need for victory so badly, you won't be any better at the game when you do actually win.

Ivory tower? That's illegal you know. My only vice is my bed of culled seal pelt.
**** off and get out of my thread, troll.

Everybody else, thanks for your advice.

I'm pretty sure the massive amounts of GPT from vassals is a bug.
I dont think so. A larger amount of gold you receive by them for resources, lower research rate they have. Maybe that is programed routine how the vassalized AI should behave. When you have vassal you must pay some amount of gold for they maintainance, so it is fair that they repay you this way.

If this is a bug, it will be corected in next patch... :(

The problem is that when your former vassal cancels that treaty he will still pay you huge amounts of gold for your resources. He's still suiciding his economy and he doesn't know it. In my view that's a clear bug.

Okay okay, settle 'at least' one city before 2050 AD. That's my universal goal for every game that I play. I think it can be applied to every victory type.

The problem is that when your former vassal cancels that treaty he will still pay you huge amounts of gold for your resources. He's still suiciding his economy and he doesn't know it. In my view that's a clear bug.

I never seen this. My vassals never got free. ;)
Then maybe you are right.

I never seen this. My vassals never got free. ;)
Then maybe you are right.

same for me!
How on earth would he get free? He is under my protection, giving me all his money :D

I'm talking about a peace-time vassal. I was on the same continent with Victoria and China and me and Vicky were kicking the Chinese out. Then they decided they're too weak to stand alone and called in Peter, who was on the other continent. Now I had the largest frigate navy the world has ever seen so I wasn't really afraid of Peter, but Vicky panicked enough to ask me to take her under my protection. Sure, anytime, as long as you give me 22 gpt for every resource I'll sell. I canceled every resource to resource trade I had with her and sold those resources for 22 gpt too. Sold resources from the other continent. Around 150 gpt in total. Then the "war" with Peter stopped after he lost all his boats and I went on rebuilding my economy when Vicky emancipated and decided that I'm not man enough to protect her. She canceled the "vassal state" treaty but did nothing about the 150 gpt.